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Community Rallies in Support of Activist Jailed on Spurious Charges

SUPPORTERS, ATTORNEY CALL ON COURT TO “FREE WAYNE!”

VICTORVILLE – Supporters of jailed community activist, basketball coach, and PhD candidate Wayne Martin Freeman will hold a press conference on the first day of the trial in which he is charged with stalking and threatening a public official, both felonies, and “electronic harassment,” a misdemeanor. The charges stem from an incident on December 26, 2024, in which Mr. Freeman, a dedicated advocate for victims and survivors of police violence, knocked on the door of San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Detective Starsun Fincel. Nobody answered the door.

In the video of the incident posted to Instagram, Freeman is heard asking aloud, “We still know nothing about what’s going on with Fincel,” and “What’s going on? You bodyslammed a sixteen-year-old girl and put her in the hospital!” Freeman is then seen walking back to his car. The question was in reference to a September 2023 incident in which sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene of a disturbance among teenagers at Victorville High School in which, rather than protecting the young people, Fincel was filmed attacking teenager Faith Jeffers.

On December 27, 2024, Freeman was served with a warrant for his arrest at his Moreno Valley home. Video shows several deputy sheriffs aiming their firearms at Mr. Freeman prior to making the arrest.

Since then, Freeman has been held in jail. Initially, bail was set at $150,000 and subsequently increased to  $180,000, only to be denied entirely at a bail hearing on January 13, 2025. Freeman had never received any stayaway order and has no violent criminal history.

Trial begins today and Freeman’s supporters are rallying in support of his freedom and his right to continue to do activism, which is under attack with these charges.


WHO: Wayne Freeman Defense Committee, police accountability activists, basketball players.
WHAT: Press conference to call attention to the injustice being perpetrated against Wayne Freeman by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney.

WHEN: 7:30 AM
March 24, 2025
WHERE: Victorville Superior Court
14455 Civic Dr
Victorville, CA 92392
VISUALS: Protesters with signs and banners, the courthouse.

Media contacts: Valeria Carlos (Wayne Freeman’s wife): 909-573-9480
Benjamin Wood (Wayne Freeman Defense Committee): 909-996-1624

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The Wayne Freeman Defense Committee was formed in December 2024 to support Wayne Freeman and his family, create awareness of the case, and to raise money for legal defense.

Sign of the Times: Chino Valley School Board President Sonja Shaw Announces Bid for State Superintendent of Public Instruction

In July of 2023, the Pomonan reported that California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond stood before the Chino Valley Unified School District Board telling them that he opposed their plan to require staff and teachers to provide parents and caregivers with changes in their students’ gender Identification. He told them that this mandate would violate student rights for their safety and privacy, that based on research, such a ruling would place them in harms’ way.

Even before Superintendent Thurmond was able to return his seat CVUSD’s Board President Sonja Shaw began haranguing him from the dais:

“Tony Thurmond, I appreciate you being here - tremendously - but here is the problem -we are here because of people like you. You are in Sacramento proposing things that (raises voice) PERVERT CHILDREN. You had a chance to come and talk to me, Tony. By all means - you had a chance to talk with me. Why was it so important for you to walk with my opponent? YOU are the very reason why we are in this.” 

At this point Superintendent Thurmond returned to the podium and said:

“May I have - as a Point of Order, as the Board President . . .” before CVUSD President Shaw interrupted him, shouting and talking fast:

“No, this is not your meeting, Tony Thurmond. You can have a seat. Because if I did that to you in Sacramento, you would not accept it. Please sit . . . You are not going to blackmail us. You have already sent us a blackmailing letter on previous . . . You will not bully us here in Chino! Please sit.”

Now, the very same CVUSD Board President Sonja Shaw has recently announced her plans to run for the position of California State Superintendent of Public Instruction. In the interim, the Chino Valley School Board President Shaw led CVUSD to become the first district in the state to pass a parental notification policy for transgender students. In response, state lawmakers passed a bill prohibiting such so-called “trans outing” policies.

Board President Shaw is associated with Calvary Chapel, a large church in Chino Hills that has taken an active role in recruiting and endorsing conservative candidates for local office. In the nearby community of Claremont, a Calvary Chapel recruited candidate, Mark Reynoso, recently lost his bid in November for Claremont USD’s Board by a slim margin.

Superintendent Thurmond has held his State Superintendent’s position since 2019 and is currently in his second term. He is running for governor in 2026, leaving the schools chief position wide open. 

Stay tuned . . .

Pamela Casey Nagler, Pomona-born, is an independent scholar, currently conducting research on California’s indigenous people, focusing on the Spanish, Russian, Mexican and US invasions between 1769 and the 1860s. The point of studying this history is to tell us how we got here from there. 

Alleged Active Shooter Reported at Mckenna College at Claremont College Campus

Photography by Julian Lucas ©2025

Updated 3/13/2025 9:40p | PST

At 5:15 p.m., Campus Safety issued a shelter-in-place order for students on campus, while those off campus were advised to stay away due to a potential active shooter on the campus of Mckenna College.

Helicopters circled above the Colleges as students in North Quad were directed to evacuate toward Harvey Mudd College by Campus Safety and law enforcement officers.

This situation is still unfolding, and updates will be provided as new details become available.

The Claremont Police Department and other supporting law enforcement agencies, has determined that there is no active threat on campus. The Shelter-in-Place order has been lifted.

Earlier, CPD dispatch received a report of an active shooter and responded, working in coordination with TCC Campus Safety and CMC Public Safety. After a thorough search of the campus, no evidence of a threat was found. Normal campus operations will now resume.

Julian Lucas, is a photographer, a purveyor of books, and writer, but mostly a photographer. Don’t ever ask him to take photos of weddings or quinceaneras, because he will charge you a ton of money.

Inland Empire Activists to Highlight Pete Aguilar and Norma Torres’ Support for Funding the Genocide in Gaza with Billboard Truck Protest

This Friday, October 25, a mobile billboard protest will take place in the Inland Empire to draw attention to Congress members Pete Aguilar and Norma Torres’ ongoing support for billions in taxpayer funding for Israel as it continues to bomb schools, hospitals, and refugee camps, leaving no safe areas in the small strip. 

The protest will kick off near Norma Torres's office, then make stops at prominent locations, including Ontario Mills, Rancho Cucamonga City Hall, Fontana City Hall, Downtown San Bernardino, and Redlands, culminating in front of Pete Aguilar’s office.

“It has been one year since Israel’s latest bombing campaign in Gaza. Entire communities have been wiped off the map. In the Inland Empire, many families struggle to secure affordable housing with some relying on schools to provide their children with meals. Yet, Pete Aguilar and Norma Torres continue to support the allocation of billions in taxpayer dollars to a country that has relentlessly bombed civilians, including children, for an entire year. This is a shameful stance,” said Sam Soloman, a spokesperson for the protest organizers. “We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people in their fight for freedom, and we demand our representatives focus on improving conditions for our local communities.”

For more information, please contact
Sam at 909 521 1707

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Community Activists to Protest Congresswoman Norma J. Torres' Support for Israel’s Genocide on Gaza

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POMONA, CA - On Wednesday, July 24, 2024, community activists will gather to protest Congresswoman Norma J. Torres' recent support for Israeli military actions against Palestinians. This demonstration comes in response to her meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and advocating for continued U.S. arms shipments to Israel.

Congresswoman Torres, representing District 35, is complicit in the Genocide of the Palestinian people of Gaza & her constituents demand she call for an immediate ceasefire. Constituents will gather to voice strong opposition for actions tantamount to genocide against Palestinians. The protest will coincide with Prime Minister Netanyahu's scheduled speech in Washington, D.C., aiming to send a clear message of dissent against Torres' alignment with Israeli policies.

Protesters will gather at Dudley Street overpass over Interstate 10 and hold large banners denouncing Netanyahu and Torres. The banners will be visible to westbound morning traffic. Wednesday, July 24, 2024, from 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM PST .

Organizers encourage community members to join in solidarity to express their disapproval and demand accountability from their elected representative, Norma Torres. This event aims to highlight concerns over U.S. foreign policy and its implications for the rights of Palestinians. For more information or media inquiries, please contact Arianna, Priscila or Ben at ontariounitedforliberation@gmail.com

Ontario United for Liberation is a community organization from Ontario, California geared toward liberation, equality and justice.

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Investigative Report: Did Current City Council Members Victor Preciado and Steve Lustro Properly Disclose the Campaign Contributions they received from Pomona Police Officers' Association in 2018?

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During the 2018 election cycle, the Pomona Police Officers Association PAC (PPOA) made campaign contributions to three Pomona City Council candidates for around $9,000 each - Victor Preciado, Steve Lustro, Christina Carrizosa. Preciado and Lustro won their election that year and are currently sitting members of Pomona’s City Council today.

In recent days, it has come to the attention of the Pomonan editorial Board that these campaign contributions were not properly reported.

In the fall of 2018, the PPOA paid more than $41 thousand to the Freedman Public Affairs for mailers to support the campaign of Victor Preciado, Steve Lustro, who won their election, and Christina Carrizosa, who lost hers.

According to CalAccess, District 2 council member Victor Preciado received a total of $9,689.12, and District 5 council member Steve Lustro received $9.396.56 from the PPOA through contributions and late independent expenditures.

Before assuming office on Dec. 3, 2018, both officials filed a California Form 700, also known as Statement of Economic Interests form, but neither reported the amount received from the PPOA. The form is meant to prevent decisions made by public officials from being influenced by their personal financial interests.

Pomona Ordinance No. 4298 states any person holding a position in Government Code Section 87200 needs to file any required Statement of Economic Interests report online or electronically with the City Clerk.

The PPOA made 83 donations to Preciado’s campaign and 72 donations to Lustro’s campaign of different totals ranging from $72.54, $27.67, $26.86, $1,436.07 and $678.59 from Sept. 2018 through Nov. 2018.

On his 700 form, Preciado reported his salary working with the Kellogg Company and from the San Gabriel Valley Conservation Corps as in the range from $1,001 to $10,000, but did not report the amount donated to his campaign by the PPOA.

Lustro did not report any of the donations from the PPOA or any other salary that might influence his decision making. See both Form-700

Under the Pomona City Code, Article II, Sec. 10-34, it stated that a candidate shall not solicit or accept any contribution which will cause the total amount contributed by such person with respect to a single election in support of or opposition to a candidate that exceeds $500.00.

However, Section 10-36 of the same code states that all contributions, including campaign contributions, exceeding $25 needs to be reported.

During the same election, the PPOA also made 72 donations that equated to $9,449.49 to the campaign of Council member Christina Carrizosa of District. Carrizosa was currently on the Council at the time, but lost her position to current Pomona City Council member, Nora Garcia.

The Police Oversight Starts Today (POST), a coalition of Pomona and area residents, filed a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission in Aug. 2021 claiming the PPOA caused a conflict of interest when it donated sums of money to certain council members and not equally to every potential candidate.

Council member Preciado, recently contacted, said he wasn’t aware of the money. He also stated that, the form does not need to have that kind of payment on it: 

“While [the PPOA] have to state who they are using it for, they actually can’t legally coordinate or talk to the candidate about it. In this example I wasn’t aware of this expenditure or what they used it for.”

To date, Pomona city council member Lustro has not responded to this reporter’s request for comment.

Pomona Renews Contract with DPOA for Supplemental Police for the Business Improvement District

Pomona PD frisking an unhoused individual at Veterans Park ©2001 Julian Lucas
City of Pomona Circa 1950’s
Illustration Julian Lucas

The city of Pomona approved to renew its contract with the Downtown Pomona Owners Association (DPOA) for supplemental police patrolling for the downtown Pomona Business Improvement District (BID) during the June 3 council meeting.

According to the Los Angeles City Clerk, a BID is a “geographically defined area within the city in which services, activity and programs are paid for through a special assessment which is charged to all members within the district…”

The agreement will provide two police officers to continue patrolling the downtown Pomona BID on top of the private security the DPOA allocates money for. The DPOA will pay $187,288 of the police salary, while the city will pay $337,752, bringing up the total of the contract to $525,040.

The city’s budget for the new fiscal year was adjusted to accommodate for the renewal of the contract with the DPOA. A total of $10.9k was added to the budget.

Tim Sandoval, mayor of Pomona, emphasizes that the renewal wasn’t motivated by anyone on the council, but rather, the city is answering what businesses within the downtown Pomona BID have been calling for. 
“It was really driven by the business owners themselves who have experienced a number of different break-ins, burglaries, broken windows,” Sandoval said. “It's been a challenge for some of them.”

The DPOA revenue consists of a tax that every business within the district pays to help promote the area, keep it clean and provide private security.

The city of Pomona created the Downtown Pomona Unit (DPU) with the DPOA back on June 22, 2022 to help the private security it hired patrol and secure the district. Between the years of 2021-2022, the DPOA spent $306,373 on security for the BID. The city recommended it allocate 49.8% of the city’s budget for the Pomona Police Department for the new fiscal year.

A volunteer of the non-profit bookstore located within the BID, Cafe Con Libros, Ralph Acosta, has seen multiple incidents where help was needed to ease the tension. Acosta describes a moment where he saw unhoused people harassing children from the local school as they were crossing the train track. However, he doesn’t think the continuing policing of the downtown area will solve the problems it faces. “I’m in pro-support of [the] community in different layers,” Acosta said. “But to me, it surpasses more than just the layer of policing. Policing itself is one layer and I don’t see that solving the problem.

Mike Ellis, the chief of police, mentioned the new money isn’t paying for training on how to deal with people going through a crisis. “We just recently trained everyone on de-escalating techniques which can include someone that’s being violent or potentially in a mental health crisis,” Ellis said. “So we have ongoing programs for these types of training that the officers [from] downtown will also participate in.”

The contract renewal comes with the option of extending it past the 2024 fiscal year and into the year 2025. 

EDITORS NOTES
Over the past thirty years, business improvement districts, (BIDs), have been incredibly popular across the nation. On the other hand, not much is actually understood about how they affect communities. Anecdotal and scientific data supporting strongly held beliefs about BIDs is scant. Some claim that BIDs are a creative means for businesses and communities to unite in response to decline in public funding or known as disinvestment which caused abandonment. Some also claim they provide “safety, cleanliness and habitable for residents, and vendors”. While others attest that BIDs are a sham that uproot underprivileged people, criminalize the unwanted, and alter local culture.

”BIDs are geographically bounded areas where local property owners can assess themselves or their tenants a fee to solve problems that are negatively impacting the local business environment.”

BIDS redesign large areas of public realm in our cities [and] become a powerful voice shaping land use, zoning, transportation, and urban redevelopment planning. BIDS are incorporated as non profit organizations, which people may think being a non profit is doing good work for the board. However, we have to ask who sits on the boards of these organizations? Schaller, Sussana, Business Improvement Districts and The Contradictions of Placemaking; Georgia Press

The majority of BIDs board members are property owners. Moreover, BIDs are a taxing body that assesses properties within the BIDs boundaries. Originally used in assessing commercial properties, residential properties are being assessed more frequently in the present day. Despite the policy language's emphasis on supporting small companies and maintaining a clean and safe environment, the properties are ultimately the subject of the assessment. The assessments are then transferred to small businesses through their leases, which presents a contradiction. Small businesses are currently covering the cost of their lease and the assessment, which raises the value of the property.

On the weekend of March 26, 2024 there were multiple businesses in the downtown arts colony area that were vandalized resulting in store windows being shattered causing thousands of dollars in repair. The BID didn’t prevent this unfortunate crime from happening. In fact vandalism has happened on multiple occasions in the downtown area. So we have to ask the question, do BIDs really provide safety, is the area really secure with having two police officers present? Are the two officers only present during art walks? Why do we need police for art events?

The Pomonan is the cultural structure, empowering visionaries to propel the global society to the future.

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UCLA Protest: A Photographic Look at Student Activism on College Campus

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In recent weeks, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has become a focal point for student activism, with protests igniting conversations both on and off-campus. The demonstration, characterized by its passionate participants, has shed light on the evolving landscape of student activism in higher education institutions.

Wednesday night students continued protests, before police moved in early Thursday morning to disrupt the encampment by tearing down the makeshift barricades, and breaking apart tents to drive demonstrators out of the pro-Palestinian camp. More than 200 people were taken into custody on Thursday morning.

Julian Lucas, is a photographer, a purveyor of books, and writer, but mostly a photographer. Don’t ever ask him to take photos of your event because he will charge you 100,000,000,000. Julian is also the owner and founder of Mirrored Society Book Shop, publisher of The Pomonan, founder of Book-Store, and founder and project director of Print Pomona Art Book Fair.

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Pomona College Faculty Responds to the Arrests of Claremont College Students

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“The faculty condemns the present and future militarization and use of police on the campus. It insists that the College immediately drop criminal charges and reverse the suspensions and all related consequences against student protesters for their actions of civil disobedience."

Pitzer College’s Faculty Condemns Pomona College’s Suspensions of the Student Protesters

On the afternoon of Friday, April 5, Claremont College students staged a peaceful protest calling for Pomona College to divest its support of Israel and the corporations that send weapons to Israel. As part of the protest, some 20 students occupied the Pomona College President’s Office. When told to leave, they didn’t, and within approximately 20 minutes, the Police, including Claremont Police and police from 3 neighboring cities, arrested 20 students, 19 for occupying the building and one for blocking the entrance. Police zip-tied their hands behind their backs and took them to the jail at the Claremont Police Department on Bonita Avenue in Claremont.

That same day according to the Claremont College newspaper, This Student Life, Pomona College's President Gabrielle G. Starr issued this email:

“I will issue interim suspensions to any Pomona students who may have been arrested today; indeed I directly informed the individuals in my office that this would be the case.”

Pomona College's faculty will be convening on Thursday, April 11, to vote on a resolution condemning the suspensions.

However, on Monday, April 8, Pitzer College’s Executive Committee of the Faculty (FEC) issued their own statement of condemnation, "The FEC. . . strongly condemns Pomona College’s escalatory police response to a peaceful protest that took place on April 5, 2024. We further condemn the decision to suspend and/or bar from Pomona’s campus the students arrested in connection to that protest. Denial of the free exchange of ideas and access to education is antithetical to our mission as an educational institution, and deeply harmful to our community.

We also acknowledge that such a police presence/response created a serious and wholly unnecessary risk and significant distrust for many Pitzer and 5C community members, particularly those of marginalized identities, and those who disproportionately bear the brunt of police brutality. No community members should feel unsafe or be threatened when engaging in peaceful protest.

We offer support to affected students and call on our community to make that support tangible, including, but not limited to: providing space on Pitzer’s campus, where possible, for Pomona’s classes to meet, extending support for students to be able to attend classes and complete their academic work, and offering flexibility and compassion to affected students in terms of deadlines and attendance.”

Julian Lucas, is a photographer, a purveyor of books, and writer, but mostly a photographer, but don’t ever ask him to take photos of events because he will charge you a lot of money. Julian is also the owner and founder of Mirrored Society Book Shop, publisher of The Pomonan, founder of Book-Store, and founder of PPABF.

20 Pomona College Students Demonstrators Arrested and Face Suspension

Photography Julian Lucas ©2024

Updated April 9, 2024 | 3:44pm PT

Claremont, CA —  On Friday afternoon, Claremont Police took 20 student protesters from the Claremont Colleges into custody for occupying Pomona College President Gabrielle Starr's Alexander Hall office on Pomona College’s campus. Reportedly, 18 were charged with misdemeanor trespassing for not leaving the premises even though they had been “given directives” to leave, according to Claremont Police officer Eric Orozco. Police arrested an additional protester for failing to clear the path as police began to enter the Hall. 

Those arrested were part of 100 or so protesters who showed up on Pomona College’s campus to protest Pomona College’s refusal to divest itself from entities connected to Israel’s role in the war in Gaza.

After the arrest of the students, the protesters moved to Claremont’s Police Department offices where they waited in protest until the arrested students were released one by one.  Helicopters from several news sources showed up to document the proceedings.  

Earlier, police agencies from Claremont, Pomona, Azusa, Covina and La Verne had stood in full riot gear in riot formation in the middle of College Ave.

And, in an even earlier action, college administration forcefully removed student artwork, eight days after students at the Claremont Colleges erected a mock apartheid wall on Marston Quad. According to a press release from the student-led advocacy organization, Pomona Divest Apartheid, the students erected the work in order to “'illuminate Pomona College's complicity in the face of an illegal occupation and genocide.”

After questioning a Pomona Police Officer why they were in the city of Claremont, we also asked, doesn’t your presence in Claremont result in a  “shortage of officers in Pomona, in a city with security issues of its own.? The officer's responded, ‘take that up with your city officials.’

Julian Lucas, is a photographer, a purveyor of books, and writer, but mostly a photographer. Don’t ever ask him to take photos of events because he will charge you a lot of money. Julian is also the owner and founder of Mirrored Society Book Shop, publisher of The Pomonan, founder of Book-Store, and founder of PPABF.

Community Group Set to Issue Cease and Desist Letter to Pomona City Council Regarding Pomona Police Department's Unlawful Targeted Actions

POMONA –  Gente Organizada, a community-led non-profit, will deliver a cease and desist letter at the Pomona City Council meeting on April 8, 2024, represented by attorney James Gutierrez. The letter addresses concerns regarding the Pomona Police Department’s (PPD) continued violent targeting of Black and Brown communities and its violation of state and local laws.

The letter highlights several instances where the PPD's actions contradict its stated values of compassion and transparency, eroding public trust in local government and law enforcement. Specific incidents cited include the officer-involved shooting in the Angela Chanslor neighborhood on February 3, 2022, where the officer violated department policy by not having his camera on, and the murder of Andres Avila in 2011. 

“The Pomona Police Department’s actions are in direct violation of Policy #424 and California Assembly Bill 748,” said James Gutierrez, attorney for Gente Organizada. “They’ve been able to violate these local and state laws with impunity because there’s no checks and balances.”

Furthermore, the letter outlines a concerning pattern of the PPD's history of targeting young community members, particularly Black and Brown youth. The lack of transparency and accountability within the PPD, as well as its collaboration with police special interest organizations, are also highlighted as major areas of concern.

Gente Organizada calls on the Pomona City Council and City Manager to demand transparency from the PPD, address patterns of use of force, and launch immediate investigations into the incidents outlined in the letter. Failure to do so may result in legal action against the City Council.

Next week, Gente Organizada will present this letter on April 8, 2024 at 6:30 pm in front of Pomona City Hall before the City Council meeting. 

See Cease and Desist Letter

The Pomonan is the cultural structure, empowering visionaries to propel the global society to the future.

Pomona Unified School District: Associated Pomona Teachers Reach Tentative Agreement

Pomona, CA — On March 18, 2024, Associated Pomona Teachers (APT) reached a tentative agreement for an 8% salary increase retroactive to July 1, 2023; a one-time, 4% increase retroactive to July 1, 2023; and an increase to the health and welfare benefit allotment of $500 for the 2023-24 calendar year. Earlier this year, APT rallied in front of Pomona Unified School District and spoke out at the PUSD school board meeting for a number of reasons, but low pay was at the top of the list. 


On Wednesday morning, March 20th, APT President Wei-Tsu Loh emphasized that "the agreement still has to go through a ratification process by members and the school board. With the 8%, our members will be closer to the salaries of surrounding districts. We will need the district to commit to improving our salaries and benefits in order to attract and retain highly qualified educators as well as classified and administrative staff."

While giving back to their community, a second year PUSD educator and Pomona resident, who remains anonymous stated, “I do not feel that the PUSD salaries are a living wage. With rent increasing, it is nearly impossible to live on your own with the amount paid as a second year teacher. I also have a ton of student loan debt, and unfortunately, I am not able to make payments towards my debt due to having to choose between paying the minimum payment or having funds for living expenses for the month. The 8% salary increase is great; however, I fear it is not enough to pay all that I need to pay in a month and have enough for myself. As it is, I am living paycheck to paycheck, so I am hoping that this 8% increase provides some breathing room while also allowing me to pay my student loan debt. Due to PUSD salaries, I have considered leaving the district, or at the very least leaving my position as a classroom teacher this year.”

Julian Lucas, is a photographer, a purveyor of books, and writer, but mostly a photographer. Don’t ever ask him to take photos of events because he will charge you an astronomical amount. Julian is also the owner and founder of Mirrored Society Book Shop, publisher of The Pomonan, founder of Book-Store, and founder of PPABF.

LACDP Unanimously Adopts a Ceasefire (and Return of the Hostages) Resolution

Published 3/14/2024 | 7:55am PST

On Tuesday, March 12th, LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY, the second biggest democratic club in the country, voted unanimously to adopt a ceasefire resolution. The effort was the result of a collaborative effort between elected California Democratic delegates from all over the state and members of Democrats for Israel, a support organization for Israel:

Resolution calling for a humanitarian, permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to pave the way for peace and new governance for the people of Gaza.

WHEREAS, on October 7, 2023, the worst terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas and other armed groups resulted in more than 200 hostages being taken captive, and deaths of 1,163 Israelis; and the ensuing Israeli military assault on Gaza has resulted in the deaths of a record number of civilians in modern history- more than 30,000 Gazans – including at least 11,500 children – in 125 days, over 300 medical workers and over 100 journalists, over 69,000 Gazans wounded, and over 7,000 missing under the rubble; and Palestinian civilians experiencing a humanitarian crisis of catastrophic proportions in amputation, disease, malnourishment, starvation, shelter; and WHEREAS, All human life is precious, and the targeting of civilians is a violation of international humanitarian law, which we unequivocally condemn wherever it occurs and this includes the Israeli right-wing’s targeting and dehumanization of Palestinians and Hamas’ deliberate targeting of Jewish and foreign civilians, both with impunity, has pulled Israelis and Palestinians further apart from reaching a two state solution and put Palestinians in harm's way over and over again; and WHEREAS, more than 200 labor unions including SEIU International, Communication Workers of America, UAW, UE, American Postal Workers Union, Painters and Allied Trades, National Nurses United, and member organizations of the AFL-CIO, 34 congressional representatives, the World Health Organization, United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, His Holiness Pope Francis, 70 US cities, the San Francisco County Democratic Committee have called for a ceasefire and President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are actively working towards a ceasefire; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the LACDP joins the calls for, and urges our Democratic elected leaders to call for, a mutual permanent ceasefire to make way for Palestinians to build a new democratic future in governing Gaza without Hamas; life-saving humanitarian aid in Gaza; the release of all Israeli hostages taken by Hamas; ensure that all Palestinians that are held have a fast and fair trial and are released immediately if not convicted; end of Hamas’s rule in Gaza; work toward an Israeli government that supports self-determination; freedom and opportunities for the Palestinian people; and for Israelis and Palestinians to progress toward the implementation of a mutually negotiated durable peace based on a two state solution.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the LA County Democratic Party is aware of the acts of violence, vandalism and intimidation against the Palestinian and Jewish diaspora in the United States, and condemns all antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Palestinian and anti-Israeli bigotry.

On January 22, the City of Pomona adopted a ceasefire resolution, citing Pomona’s long-standing commitment to, “advocating for compassion, peace, social justice, and fostering a mutual respect and understanding for all people, regardless of religion, race or nationality.”

On March 18, Pasadena’s City Council passed its ceasefire and return of the hostages resolution. Councilmember Jason Lyon said he considers a non-local issue to be within the council’s purview if it’s of demonstrable interest to a Pasadena constituency, in the best interest of the city, and representative of the city as a whole.

On February 27, the City of Claremont refused to consider a ceasefire resolution. Instead, the City Council voted to enact a resolution against any resolution that was not about local issues.

Pamela Casey Nagler, Pomona-born, is an independent scholar, currently conducting research on California’s indigenous people, focusing on the Spanish, Russian, Mexican and US invasions between 1769 and the 1860s. The point of studying this history is to tell us how we got here from there. 

Pomona’s City Council Approves Ceasefire Resolution in Israel/Palestine

Photography courtesy of Julian Lucas
Mount San Antonio College Protest Fall ©2023

Published Thursday 1/25/2024 | 1:05pm PST

The City Council of the City of Pomona hereby supports Congressional Resolution H.R. 786, and joins other cities in calling on Congress and the Biden administration to demand: an immediate ceasefire; an immediate release of all hostages Hamas took on October 7, 2023; urgent safe passage and delivery of substantial and sufficient humanitarian aid to Gaza; and a lasting political resolution that protects the lives, health, and security of all innocent civilians.”


On Monday, the City Council of Pomona voted to approve a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Israel/Palestine in response to a broad coalition of advocates who had begun lobbying the Council at Council meetings starting in mid-December. During this time, advocates for ceasefire had also submitted a petition with over 300 signatures to the City asking for a resolution calling for a ceasefire.

Forty people spoke in favor of the resolution and one spoke against.

Those who spoke in favor included young and old (including one 7 year-old), Arab-Americans, White, Latinx and Black. They identified as Muslim, Jewish, Christian. Some identified themselves as Palestinian, with relatives in either Gaza, the West Bank or both. One man identified as a son of an Israeli national, and a local professor emeritus declared he was the descendant of Holocaust survivors and was aligned with Jewish Voice for Peace. The speakers included professors, teachers, medical doctors, lawyers, mothers and fathers, students, a City Council candidate and the undocumented. Many were associated with Cal Poly Pomona as former alumni or in other capacities. One Latinx speaker spoke about the importance of “brown and brown unity.” Some noted their frustration at sending so much money to bomb Gaza when the need is so great right here in the City. Many spoke about the need to address both Islamophobia and anti-semitism.

A few of the speakers requested that the City contact Congresswoman Norma Torres urging her to also ask for ceasefire on a national level.

The sole speaker who opposed the resolution identified himself as Jewish and stated that the act of singling out Israel/Palestine was anti-semitic since the City had not addressed other wars and conflicts in Northern Africa, the Middle East and Ukraine.

While the vast majority of speakers voiced their gratitude to the City for putting the resolution on the agenda, many stated that the resolution did not go far enough. In response to these public comments, Mayor Sandoval and other Council members asked staff to redraft on the spot. Acting City Manager Anita Guiterrez quickly edited and amended parts of the resolution to satisfy the Council.

The description “many thousands of innocent civilian Israeli and Palestinian lives” was changed to the more specific “over 30,000 innocent Palestinians.” The new draft also noted that 85% of Gaza infrastructure had been damaged, that 1.9 million people had been displaced, and that the toll should be referred to as “collective punishment" by Israel. In addition, the redrafted resolution called for the need for humanitarian aid.

All of the Council members voted to adopt the resolution except for Council member Robert Torres, son of Congress member Norma Torres, who abstained, stating, “I will not be forced into a position.” He mentioned his irritation at comments directed at him on social media. Robert Torres is currently running for a higher office, California State Assembly member for District 53.

In approving this resolution, Pomona joins the cities of San Francisco, Oakland, Richmond, Cudahy and Long Beach in asking for ceasefire.

During the discussion of the resolution, Council member John Nolte, expressed the regret felt by many in the room. “It’s hard to be here and not be able to do a lot,” Nolte said. “We’re doing what we can.”

Julian Lucas is a traditional darkroom photographer, a purveyor of books, and writer, but mostly a photographer. But don’t ever ask him to take photos of weddings, quinceñeras, birthdays. He’ll charge you 100,000,000. Julian is also the owner and founder of Mirrored Society Book Shop, BOOK-STORE, and publisher of The Pomonan.

Pamela Casey Nagler, Pomona-born, is an independent scholar, currently conducting research on California’s indigenous people, focusing on the Spanish, Russian, Mexican and US invasions between 1769 and the 1860s. The point of studying this history is to tell us how we got here from there. 

Pomona Unified School District Teachers Want Better Pay and Benefits

Photography ©Julian Lucas 2024

Published January 18, 2024 3:15pm PST

On Wednesday, January 18th, hundreds of Pomona Unified School District (PUSD) teachers rallied in front of the District offices, for a variety of reasons, but the number one reason was low pay. At this time. PUSD’s teacher union, Associated Pomona Teachers (APT), is asking for a 12% raise, but so far, the District has simply returned with a low-ball counter-offer of 5%.

Associated Pomona Teachers (APT), states that the low pay makes it difficult for the District to retain teachers, and that this often causes positions to go unfilled. They maintain that too often students end up in classes conducted by a series of multiple long term substitutes. In particular, PUSD is having a difficult time filling its Special Education positions.

The APTbargaining team states that the District is more than able to pay this salary increase due to the fact that the District is carrying $140 million over from the previous year, as it has for many previous years. APT asserts that holding this much money in reserve deprives students of services that they deserve. 

Actions like this are taking place in California’s 1000 public school districts across the state. Teachers’ pay, low to begin with, has not kept pace with the high cost of living, inflation and increased demands of the job. That said, Pomona teachers, in particular, suffer from low pay. A quick comparison of teacher salaries in other districts exposes the fact that Pomona teachers are coming up short. 

A Claremont Unified School District teacher who had been teaching for ten years with an MA degree now earns $96,557. A Chaffey Unified School District teacher who has been teaching for ten years with an MA degree now earns $111,706.

Last year, a Pomona Unified School District teacher who taught for ten years with an MA degree earned $88,922. Pomona USD teachers have been asking for a significant pay raise for some time now. This time round will they receive the kind of raise that would put them on even ground with other teachers in neighboring districts?

Julian Lucas is a traditional darkroom photographer, a purveyor of books, and writer, but mostly a photographer. But don’t ever ask him to take photos of weddings, quinceñeras, birthdays. He’ll charge you 100,000,000

Julian is also the owner and founder of Mirrored Society Book Shop, BOOK-STORE, and publisher of The Pomonan.

Anita D. Gutierrez Takes on New Role as Acting City Manager for the City of Pomona

The Pomonan
Published 12/12/2023 | 3:10 Pm PST

POMONA, CA – The City of Pomona is pleased to announce the appointment of Anita Gutierrez as the Acting City Manager, effective immediately. Gutierrez has spent over 20 years in public service and has been an instrumental part of the City’s leadership team for the last five years. She brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to enhancing the community’s quality of life.

Anita Gutierrez has been an exemplary public servant, demonstrating unwavering dedication to the City of Pomona since 2018. Her journey with the City began as the Planning Manager and then Director of Development Services, where she successfully directed and oversaw various Divisions, including Building and Safety, Planning, and Code Enforcement. In this role, Anita managed pivotal Commissions, including Planning, Cultural Arts, and Historic Preservation.

In her latest role as Assistant City Manager, Anita exhibited exceptional leadership, overseeing her Development Services and Public Works Departments with utmost competence and commitment With over two decades of experience in the local, state, and federal government sectors, Anita has an impressive track record of leading teams and communities in transformative work, development, and growth. Her expertise extends across numerous areas within Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire, addressing complex planning, real estate development, land use, regulatory challenges, policy development, and implementation.

Exemplifying Pomona’s core values, Anita’s leadership style is defined by collaboration, inclusivity, innovation, and resourcefulness. She is recognized for her ability to facilitate cooperation among stakeholders with diverse interests, including neighborhood representatives, the development community, and other agency partners. Anita’s dedication to refining Pomona’s development review process, elevating internal review systems, and enhancing external customer service has solidified her reputation for attentive listening, fairness, practicality, and a keen ability to find effective solutions.

Anita holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from California State University, San Bernardino, and a Master’s in Planning from the University of Southern California (USC). She will complete a Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from USC in May 2024. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and an active member in the League of California Cities. She is deeply rooted in Southern California, where she has dedicated her career to serving the public and helping the community collectively shape their living environment.

The City of Pomona is confident that Anita’s extensive experience and unwavering commitment to the community will be invaluable as she assumes the role of Acting City Manager. Her leadership and dedication to enhancing the City’s prosperity and well-being are commendable, and we look forward to the positive impact she will continue to make in her new role. “We are fortunate to have Anita stepping in to lead our City team. Her leadership is a pillar of stability for the City. With an unwavering commitment to communication, thoughtful decision-making, and the overall well-being of our City organization and community, we are confident that the City is now under the guidance of an exceptionally capable leader,” said Mayor Tim Sandoval.

“I am deeply passionate about public service, and I am grateful for the opportunity to demonstrate my leadership abilities in service to our city,” Gutierrez said. “The Pomona team is like no other, and I am thankful to be a part of this exceptionally dynamic and dedicated organization.

The Pomonan is the cultural structure, empowering visionaries to propel the global society to the future.

Pomona City Council and the City Manager Agree to a Mutually Acceptable Employment Separation

The Pomonan
Published 12/12/2023 | 3:10 Pm PST

POMONA, CA – The Pomona City Council and City Manager have agreed to a mutually acceptable employment separation for City Manager James Makshanoff effective December 11, 2023.


Mr. Makshanoff was appointed on January 21, 2020. Among his achievements, Mr. Makshanoff led the City of Pomona through the Covid pandemic, produced a balanced budget 4 years in a row, increased budget reserves from 19% to 43%, consolidated waste hauling services to a state-of-the- art waste hauler and produced a state approved housing element.

The City Council thanks Mr. Makshanoff for his dedicated service and his numerous accomplishments that benefited Pomona’s residents, businesses and employees. "On behalf of the entire Council, I want to express our appreciation for Mr. Makshanoff’s dedicated service to our community. Mr. Makshanoff organized an exceptional group of hard working department executives, making it possible for us to have a smooth transition”, said Mayor Tim Sandoval. “It has been a privilege to serve such an outstanding community. I am grateful to the city council, the executive staff, employees, and residents who have given their time and energy to improve the City of Pomona”, said James Makshanoff.

The Pomonan is the cultural structure, empowering visionaries to propel the global society to the future.

Who is Running for Public Office in the City of Pomona, So Far?

The Pomonan
Published 11/22/2023 | 7:25 Am PST

Slowly but surely, the start of the race for public office is drawing near as 2023 draws to a close. We thought it would be vital for the public to know important information, so we shared the names of the candidates we were inquisitive about who was now running for city government.

There are six districts that comprise Pomona’s city council’s governing body. For the 2024 election year, districts one, four and six, including a mayoral seat is up for reelections. The names of those who have "pulled papers" to run for city council are listed below.


Mayor

Tim Sandoval

Barton Culbertson

Veronica Cabrera

 
District 1

John Nolte

Eugenio Diaz

Luis Cano

John Mendoza

District 4

Elizabeth Ontiveros-Cole

Guillermo Gonzalez

Chara Swodeck

 

District 6

Lorraine Canales

Miranda Sheffield

Glenda Barillas

The Pomonan is the cultural structure, empowering visionaries to propel the global society to the future.

Pomona Youth Successfully Organize 12,700 Valid Signatures to Qualify the Pomona Kids First Ballot Initiative

The Pomonan
Published November 16, 2023 | 7:31am PST

POMONA, CA -- On November 20, 2023 at 12:00pm, youth organizers from the Pomona Kids First campaign will submit 12,700 valid signatures from Pomona voters to the Pomona city clerk to qualify the ballot initiative to appear on the November 2024 ballot.

To ensure Pomona’s youth and their families have the same opportunities to thrive and excel, the Pomona Kids First Initiative will amend the City of Pomona Charter to create the Pomona Fund for Children and Youth. This newly created Fund represents an exciting new opportunity to provide increased and dedicated funding for programs and services that address the needs of Pomona’s children, youth, and young adults. The initiative will also create the Department of Children and Youth that will administer the fund.

The Initiative seeks to secure a portion of the City of Pomona’s unrestricted general purpose revenues, to be transferred to the Fund beginning in January 2025. Revenue set aside for the Fund would begin at 2% and would increase to 5% the following year, then incrementally increase over a period of six years. In Fiscal Year 2030-2031 and each subsequent year after that, 10% of the City’s revenue would be set aside for the Fund.

To ensure that resources are available to those young people in Pomona that need it most, the Fund will prioritize funding for three groups: children birth to age 12; youth ages 13 to 17; and disconnected and/or transitional-aged youth ages 18 to 24 who are most impacted by harm, inequity and lack of access to support and services. If passed by voters, Pomona families will be able to enjoy an increase in the following services starting in 2025: childcare, after-school programs, housing support, mental health support, arts and technology programs, domestic violence prevention, and more. 

Youth, Parents, Educators, and other Community Leaders will be hosting a brief celebration as signatures are submitted.

WHEN: Monday, November 20, 2023 at 12pm 
WHERE: Pomona City Hall, 505 S. Garey Ave, Pomona, CA 91766

For more information, download both Pomona Kids First Fact Sheet and Full Ordinance.

The Pomonan is the cultural structure, empowering visionaries to propel the global society to the future.